


Like China Dolls

by forwardarcadia



Category: The Sims (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-05 01:50:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4161051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forwardarcadia/pseuds/forwardarcadia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lord help me, I latched onto another fandom. So, “enjoy” some Sims related junk, featuring the darkest family around, The Goths! Now with baseless speculation on the events prior to Bella's alien abduction-</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“It’s been a delight to meet you, Mr. Lothario,” Bella remarked on baited breath, her eyes upon a young man’s frame. Their hazel met luminous emerald, the likes of which gleamed luridly. As he nodded back, his beloved followed suit, sending obsidian locks about. Sight unseen to himself, she grinned, her features imbued with a lively glow. “I speak for all of us when I say we’re honored to welcome you into our family.”

“Hear, hear,” Mortimer replied back as he gazed at his wife. Dark orbs met hers for a moment, flirtatious in their intent. A pale hand reached for her’s of olive, their fingers brushing against each other. Though resolute in her elegance, Bella couldn’t help but beam from within at his affection. “It’s not everyday my Cassandra gets engaged, and you seem like a fine candidate.”

As the elder Goth pressed on, a young boy sat up stiffly, his dark eyes aglow. They shifted from his sister’s frame, to the other man’s. Though he appeared spry and innocuous enough, a spark of unease rose in the youth. In his addled mind, he found something distasteful about Don, a great, unseen flaw about himself.

From his spot beside Cassandra, he unconsciously kicked her bare leg on occasion. As mild shocks of pain ran through herself, she jerked back and glared at the boy. “Quit it, Alex!” she demanded hoarsely, wriggling under Don’s grasp. “Stop bein’ a little brat! What’s gotten into you?” They remained as such until Alexander caught sight of his mother’s piercing gaze. Hazel orbs bore into his own, drawing his inner restraint forth.

Her silent warning in mind, the boy pulled from Cassandra, leaving her to Lothario’s embrace. As the youthful pair nuzzled each other, Bella peered at her son, mouthing a few words to scold him further. In the distance, Mortimer shifted in his seat, eyes on his son as well. Though he desired to get up, Bella kept him in place, assuring him that the boy was under control.

Unwilling to push his luck any further, Alexander sank into his seat, eyes cast downward. A bowl of soup lay beneath, an indication that dinner wasn’t quite ready yet. Though he was wary of his sister’s new fiancee, he dared not voice his concerns, on the chance they be unfounded. For the moment, he sat resigned to wait for their main course.

The boy had known of Cassandra’s engagement prior, of the mysterious, charming Don Lothario. While he thought little of the man, it was only during this evening that he suspected something amiss. Though his sister remained at his side, Alexander noted his attention often drifted his mother. In spite of Don’s flattering comments regarding his family, a peculiar glint lay in his eyes.

While he failed to realize its intent, the boy grew aware of its meaning as the evening progressed. Once the adults finished their pre-dinner cocktails, all ventured to their grand dining room. As Cassandra seated herself, the other man kept his blazing gaze on Bella’s frame. The closer Alexander studied them, the more he recognized Lothario’s striking gaze.

He’d often seen it in his own father when he admired his mother. Though hesitant to admit it, Alexander knew his parents loved each other very much. In their shared adoration, they often teased each other with kisses and caresses here and there. When he caught stray glimpses of them together, their eyes burned with that familiar gleam.

Now aware of what Don wanted, the boy recoiled in disgust and disbelief. Across the table, Mortimer and Bella kept at each other, just as affectionate as their youthful counterparts. As he stared at them, Alexander wondered if they could tell as he did. Their faces seemed to say otherwise, as they beamed under Don’s influence.

As his sight shifted to his older sister, she remained in her own lover’s arms. She seemed to melt under his very touch, her pale skin tight against his tanned frame. With no further warning, Lothario’s fingers grasped her chin, caressing its smooth plane. Struck by his sudden teasing, Cassandra burst into laughter, prompting her sibling to roll his eyes incredulously.

With a resigned scoff to himself, Alexander returned to his now cool soup, its spoon heavy in his grasp. Content to finish his appetizer, he sipped at its rich fluid as his father pulled back from his beloved. Though his hand remained against Bella’s, he sat as unassuming as he’d been at the evening’s start. He reached for a nearby wine glass, and deftly tapped at its rim.

“Here’s to new beginnings, and good fortune!” Mortimer exclaimed, his sight upon the young pair. All, save for the boy, raised their glasses in kind, eyes bright with glee. A rakish smile lay on Don’s lips, parted to call in agreement. Its sight did not go unnoticed by Alexander, who shot him a quick glare before returning to his juice. “May you be blessed in all you do from now on!” 

 

As Bella attended to the dishes, Alexander shuffled underfoot, grabbing abandoned plates from their table. When he’d gathered as many as possible, he stepped to the kitchen to assist his mother. The sight unseen to his elder sibling, Cassandra walked hand in hand with Don, her shoulder against his. With a quick call to her parents, she exited their home for her fiancee’s lavish abode.

Once done with their task, the boy excused himself with a weary sigh. Her senses attuned to his dismay, Bella trailed after him and grasped his shoulder. When she asked him of his state, Alexander froze in place, his eyes against her own. A lively gleam remained in them, though now of a motherly tenderness. Unwilling to worry her, he drew back and said he was fine.

While wary of his response, Bella drew back, allowing him the space to muse on the night’s events. As he disappeared into the ether, she shook her head and went to clean herself up.

Still disgusted with Lothario’s lecherous intent, Alexander walked back to his room, dragging his feet along. His heart lay heavy with guilt as he pondered what to do next. “It can’t be,” the boy thought to himself, an involuntary shiver down his spine. “Don should like Cass! Why else would he wanna marry her? Why’s he looking at Mom like that?!”

When he entered his chamber, he slammed its door behind, leaving a loud thump in its wake. Though it rattled against his ears, Alexander paid it no mind, opting to distract himself further. “I don’t know what to do,” he mused from within as his backpack came into view. A rolled up sheet peeked out, indication to an unfinished assignment. “What do I tell Mom and Dad? What about Cass? What, what if it’s all in my head?”

 

Down the hall, Mortimer heard an abrupt clatter in the distance, sharp in its sound. Stunned by its very presence, he raced across the way to its supposed source. Once there, he peered into the given room, where his son rummaged around a heap of books. Dark orbs scanned his frame for any signs of injury, of which he found none.

“I just don’t know,” Alexander muttered to himself, his resignation having returned in full force. “Maybe gettin’ out will help-” Through his fretful haze, he managed to throw on his backpack, ready to venture outward. Still unaware of his father’s presence, he pulled his glasses away and wiped them on his shirt. 

“Son, where are you off to at this hour?” Mortimer asked of him, a lone brow jerked up quizzically. As he stood behind Alexander’s slight frame, the boy continued to wipe his glasses in silence. When satisfied with their gleam, he stuck them back onto his face, slightly tilted the side. His gaze met his father’s, dark and vivacious in their scope. “You know there’s a curfew out. You seem tense, is something the matter?”

“What the- Dad?” Alexander replied back, now aware of his father. Off center glasses lay on his face, furthering his unease. As he adjusted them, the elder Goth watched on, his sight upon the backpack at his shoulders. “It’s, it’s nothing! I’ve got a school project, I need to go to the graveyard for research! I need to find some ghosts!” At his cry, Mortimer blinked in response, taken back by his request. 

“That’s well and good,” he stated on a wavering cadence, unsure of his son’s intent. Sensing the other’s unease, Alexander approached him with a gentle smile on his lips. “But, why go out for that? We’ve got plenty of ghosts here!” Amused by the elder’s cautiousness, he chuckled knowingly to himself. 

“Yeah, but we need ghosts we’re not related to,” Alexander shot back, to his father’s relief. Mortimer nodded back in kind, his mind racing to their family’s plot, hidden within their spacious yard. “Besides, I just wanna get outta here!” As the boy’s eyes flashed with a desperate longing, he stood firm, a hand at his chest.

“I understand, son,” Mortimer said as he toyed with the edges of his waistcoat. “I’ll leave you be, but just remember that you can talk to me. If anything’s bothering you, I’ll try to help, okay?” He gazed into the boy’s eyes, a tender gleam like Bella’s from within. Yet again, Alexander felt his unease shift in favor of retaining his father’s relief. With a gentle nod back, he reached out to embrace the elder Goth, to which he reciprocated. 

“I know, Dad,” Alexander replied as he pulled back from his father’s grasp. On shaky feet, he stood in place, his mind still reeling. Though the backpack’s weight dug into his form, he arched up the best he could. “I just need to think about things. I dunno, maybe it’ll work out, maybe not. But, thanks anyway.” His gratitude noted, the boy shuffled out of his room, leaving Mortimer to wave back with a warm smile on his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And my baseless speculation on what happened prior to Bella’s disappearance (there’s WooHooing, of course)-

When Mortimer returned to his bedroom, some guilt lingered from within. Though his son had retained his usual, kindly demeanor, he sensed something was greatly amiss. In the corner of his mind, his concern ran freely, even as he undressed for the night. As he stripped away his elegant clothing, Bella took note of his unease, the tension in his back and shoulders.

“Darling, is something wrong?” she asked of the man, her form splayed out on their plush bed. Hazel orbs rose upward, landing on the back of his head. As Mortimer turned to face her, his dark eyes met hers, their gleam now a touch dull. By instinct, her right hand rose up, its fingers barely on his form. As their tips hovered above pale flesh, Bella eased up, dragging some of the blanket with her.

Though he tended to set his clothes aside neatly, he left them to hang on their bed’s end for now. Stripped to his liking, he lay besides Bella, set on his side.

“Do you think something’s upset Alex?” Mortimer asked of her, his orbs at her own. From underneath their sheet, she leaned forward, sending bare skin against its silky fabric. Now within reach of her beloved, she reached for his hand once more. “He acted so strangely tonight. I asked him about it, but he didn’t say anything. Just left for the cemetery!” 

“Is that so? Well, I can’t say,” Bella replied as she peered into his lidded eyes. Hazel met cocoa, their shared gleam melting into one another. In the hallows of her mind, she too speculated on Alexander’s unusual state. Though she’d asked the boy of it earlier, Mortimer’s response only fueled her concerns. She pushed it aside, opting to focus on his claims. “I asked too, but what can you do? If something’s really bothering him, he’s bound to tell us, right?”

With a slight shrug of his exposed shoulder, his lips parted, as though to breathe out. No sound came from within in spite of his controlled breaths. As Mortimer’s form grew more relaxed, he drew her hand closer. “I suppose so,” he stated tenderly, a slight shake upon his voice. “He’s not one to keep things from us, I’m sure it’ll come soon enough. Maybe it’s just nerves, after all.”

“Right, right,” Bella said, the corners of her lips twisted into a faint smile. “A lot’s happened to us these last months-” She shook her head in kind, tossing dark tresses about. What missed her pillow fell upon Mortimer, their ends teasing him like a wisp’s touch. Though stunned by their sensation, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as she drew even closer. “Cass is gettin’ married, Alex got on Honor Roll, you’re about to retire-” 

“I know, I know,” Mortimer replied as her skin pressed against his. “All well and good, dear.” Though she kept a hair’s width from himself, her warmth began to pool along his frame. What residual concerns eased away, to be replaced by her tender, loving embrace. “It’s just, I want everything to go off flawlessly. I worry about us sometimes, you know?” Bella nodded in kind, soft lids against her eyes. 

“Dear, be honest- What do you think of Don?” he pressed further, a lone brow raised up. As her warmth fell upon his cool palm, Mortimer shot her a gentle grin, part twinged with lingering unease. With a low, sharp breath, Bella began to caress his hand, her fingers dancing along his. “He seemed like a fine young man to me, but I’d like your opinion, too.” 

Taken back by his abrupt inquiry, the woman became still, eyes set upon his own. Her gaze bore through dark pools, seemingly fishing our their intent. “Well, he did keep his eye on me,” Bella replied as her hand detached from his. “But that’s probably ‘cause he wanted to make a good impression! All said, I liked him: He’d be great for her to ‘righteously fulfill’ her needs, I think.” Her tone had grown mockingly authoritative, designed to tease his sensibilities.

“Righteously fulfilled, my behind,” Mortimer scoffed to himself, shutting his eyes for a moment. “What of it? What they do is none of our business, and-” Though his sight lay obscured, he felt fingers at his chest, running against its bare expanse. As Bella caressed him even further, his skin grew warm, its nerves set aflame by her touch. 

“Mon cher, it’s only a joke,” she teased back, a sultry purr upon her voice. “Just somethin’ to ease your nerves.” At its stirring sound, the man’s eyes snapped open, dark pools at her face. Gentle lips, stripped of their paint, sat in a coy grin laced with longing. A dark brow rose up, rakish in its allure. “Come now: Que mes baisers soient les mots d’amour que je ne te dis pas-” 

“Darling, that’s French!” Mortimer exclaimed as his eyes lit up with a salacious gleam. “You know how it drives me mad! Well, things can wait.” In an instant, his unease seemed to vanish entirely, leaving only longing in its wake. Relieved for her beloved’s new found glee, Bella pressed her hand deeper, fingertips capturing his very heartbeat. “For now, let’s treat us, Ladybug-”

At his call, they embraced in full, falling into a mad, passionate kiss. As they held each other close, bare flesh met, drawing their raw heat upon one another. Eager to cast off the night’s unease, the pair sank into each other’s touch, pulling away what scant clothing they wore. In their haze, hands dropped below, teasing at what they desired.

 

At the Goth homestead’s exterior, a burst of light fell upon its porch. While it only lasted for a moment, it imparted wooden planes with a sickly glow, evocative of radioactive surfaces. During its brief phase, the gleam reached Mortimer and Bella’s room, capturing their distant forms. Cloaked in a dark haze, they eased up, their undivided attention on one another.

Aware of what was to come, the light returned, now engulfing their window in a soft, golden light. So pale was it that its presence remained unseen, invisible to all who may past. Intrigued by the Goths’ intimate play, the gleam’s keepers adjusted accordingly: In their vessel, they toyed with their scanners until sated. Soon enough, their frames came into focus, illuminated from within, or so it seemed.

They’d shifted about, leaving their exposed forms out for all to see. Their blanket hung haphazardly at the bed’s foot, ready to fall at any moment. Likewise, their kiss had broken, leaving slick lips free to roam elsewhere. At present, Mortimer took advantage of the opportunity and nibbled at his beloved’s neck. Bit by bit, his lips trailed lower, drawing sultry moans from Bella.

Being as they were, the unseen beings’ advances allowed for clear sound, in addition to flawless imagery. To their inhuman senses, her cries seemed like mere gibberish, expressive, yet baffling in its scope. All the same, they could decipher her rising pleasure, alongside that of her beloved. Mortimer’s voice had grown husky, muffled by the flesh at his mouth.

As he sucked at Bella’s supple breast, sparking vibrations ran across it which swept to her frame. When he reached her firm nipple, she threw her head back, intoxicated by the very sensation. Aware of the captivating effect he’d brought forth, Mortimer cupped her free breast in his hand. While at its twin, he caressed its soft flesh, fingers running along its swell.

On occasion, he alternated between them, leaving neither untouched by his alluring touch. All the while, Bella reached his cock, toying with its hot, stiffening length. Once she found it to her liking, her free hand fell atop Mortimer’s head. As bronze digits pulled at dark locks, he peered up, a question on his lips. 

To unseen eyes, the pair began to speak again, volleying a heated request of sorts. Having agreed to their whims, Bella beamed at her beloved and ordered him on his back. In an instant, the man fell compliant, eyes set up to gaze upon her frame. Satisfied with his position, she adjusted herself until her lips met his slick tip. 

As she lapped at its flesh, Mortimer followed suit, sending his tongue against her petals. More moans spilled forth, the likes of which vocalized their shared pleasure. Like a chain reaction, they drew their bliss from one another, eager to give and receive equally. When Bella sank on his length, tongue running down its flesh, he reciprocated in kind. 

Knowing of her most hallowed spots, he When his mouth grew weary, agile fingers took up their slack. As he stroked against hot petals, his tongue slipped from her slick center. Soon as it pulled out, it sought her clit. Once at the sacred nub, Mortimer sucked at it, allowing his digits to now simulate her center. On both sides, their mouths became slick, warm and inviting. 

Theirs was an enticing contrast, of refined ivory melding into earthy bronze. While unaware of the true personas, they thought it amusing to observed as such. At that moment, the Goths kept at their work, hands upon each other for support. Bella lay atop her beloved, holding his swollen tip in her wanting mouth. Full lips met its flesh, teasing it with their supple softness. 

Unable to restrain themselves any longer, they froze in place, nerves on edge. With a muffled moan, Bella dismounted from her beloved, prying her petals from his touch. While disappointed for the moment, Mortimer merely nodded skyward, his eyes attempting to meet hers. With no prior warning, she jerked back, bearing a broad, feral smile.

At that moment, she appeared like a goddess of old, ethereal and irresistible in her charms. Her hand rose up and gave him a quick wave, sending a blur of bronze forth. Utterly captivated by her display, Mortimer arched up, watching as she revealed herself in full once more. With a serpent’s fluid finesse, Bella wound herself upon him, sending her glossy petals against his shaft.

As close as they lay together, she merely hinted at what was to come: Aware of how she’d presented herself, the woman arched back, forcing her rear against pulsing flesh. When her beloved’s eyes flashed with that primal hunger, she smiled wickedly to herself. Likewise intrigued by her teasing, the watchers kept on, marveling at this new contrast.

Stiff flesh, tinted in a rich crimson, lay snug in her vice, its tip gleaming with clear essence. To further their bliss, Bella writhed against his shaft, allowing her cheeks to bob against its length. All the while, her hands lay at Mortimer’s face, set firm as she gave him a lingering kiss. Eager to please his beloved, he drew them closer and ran his hand along her back.

They kept as such for a while, giving their watchers a passionate, sensual display of their affection. Despite their rising arousal, the beings focused on their forms, recording all that their show entailed. In the midst of their study, Bella pulled away yet again, her fingers crooked out to entice her beloved. With a final nod to her, Mortimer beckoned her forth, cock standing firm and ready.

Encouraged by his plea, she In a fit of passion, Bella cried out to the heavens, lidded eyes set upward. Hazel concealed itself for moment, allowing for her to bask in a warm, encompassing bliss. As she sank on her beloved’s shaft, her mouth fell open, spilling hot breath upon them. A flurry of words followed suit, the likes of which their watchers deciphered as praise.

From what they’d heard so far, the beings captured her given name, alongside that of her husband. Their titles held no meaning for them, other than classification purposes. All the same, they appreciated the knowledge, seeing it as eagerly “volunteered” tidbits. On a similar note, they grew aware of what Bella enjoyed from her intimate trysts.

In their eyes, she appeared a woman of finer pleasures, as evidenced by her preferences. While salacious in her desire, she also remained kind, eager to toy with her beloved for their dual benefit. At the present, her endeavor had paid off enormously, if their breathy cries were any indication. Having pushed her wantonness to its limit, she took Mortimer’s cock readily, bouncing against it wildly.

Their scattered speech began anew, even more frenzied and broken than before. Of what the watchers comprehended, they grew aware of a shared desire to peak together. Bella’s gaze fell downward, blazing orbs against those of midnight. With a low, sultry call back, Mortimer reached for her hips and grasped onto their soft curves.

At her wordless request, he jerked up, slamming his cock into her wanting center. Struck by the sudden sensation, she cried out yet again, mouth set wide open. Her moans gradually shifted into raucous laughter, the likes of which encouraged his thrusts. As blissful tears welled in her eyes, Mortimer shifted about accordingly, pulling at her innermost flesh.

All grew intoxicated with their arrangement, aching for the pair to reach their ultimate release. From a distance, the watchers long ceased to study their session, and now leered at them. A strange mix of arousal and intrigue grasped their forms to observe such a spectacle. Stripped of their elegant guise, they were like any other folk: Wild, driven by their most base desires.

As though they knew of their request, the pair increased their pace, rutting madly against each other. With nary a concern for her ease, Bella reached below, her balance faltering in the process. Unwilling to allow harm to his beloved, Mortimer released his hand and set on her clit. With a fluid finesse, he caressed the pearl, allowing her to writhe on his shaft. 

Their dual pleasure sent the woman to her breaking point; With a final, sharp cry, she slammed on its length, eyes snapped shut. Her climax gripped aching flesh entirely, like a burst of sun in the night’s stillness. Captivated by her warm, pooling delight, Mortimer followed soon after, jerking himself up straight. As his seed spilled from within, his own warmth fell upon them, radiant in its scope. 

 

Their afterglow fell in waves for a lingering moment, imparting them with a lively, sated aura. As the pair lay together once more, that eerie light faded away, leaving only still darkness in its place. Unknown and unseen to all, it provoked no concern, While invisible to their targets, the beings had their intentions set in stone after all had been. A painted image of the Goths filled their consciousness, filtering Mortimer and Bella away for the moment.

Having taken their fill of the pair, their watchers’ attention shifted to their underlings at hand. Only part aware of Cassandra’s attachment to Don, they stood wary of his interference. Hesitant to evoke Lothario’s wrath, they set the young woman aside: Instead, Alexander came to mind, his “frail” form a suitable bargaining chip for their needs.

Their plan set into motion, the beings forced their vessel from the Goth home. As it hovered in the night’s sky, it rose above the clouds and cast that eerie light once more. A mere shadow of itself, the gleam fell against darkness, softening its deep planes. In their voyeuristic escapade, Alexander’s frame came into view, its pale skin gleaming in its scope.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the thrilling, foregone conclusion (for long-time Sims fans) to our saga!

All the while, Alexander had ventured to Pleasant Rest Cemetery, and now roamed among its drab confines. With a flashlight and notebook in hand, he wandered its pathways, the likes of which seemed coated in a light fog. Though it chilled his skin, he felt more at ease within its silent, dark planes. As he knew from his own plot, spirits of all types had a habit of occupying such a space.

As the boy stepped further along earthed plots, the faint rustle of leaves fell on his ears. Their sound was intimately familiar to himself, to which he paid little mind. Adamant in his desire to soothe himself, Alexander pressed on, flashing his device on occasion. He managed to collect sufficient data for his report prior, and now casually explored the graveyard.

“Maybe it was all in my head,” Alexander mused to himself, cool hands behind his back. “Just nerves, just weirded out by him and Cass.” The flashlight remained in his grasp, emitting a pale trail of light as he walked by. In the still of night, Don’s lecherous gaze remained, now obscured by his clouded memories. Try as he might, the boy became wary of his thoughts, of what truly occurred. “Yeah, it’s just a trick!” 

“That’s good,” he stated from within, eager to cast his doubt aside. “All right, then.” In his uneasy state of mind, the boy failed to notice an mechanized wail in the distance. The night’s wind swept particularly hard now, obscuring its sound. Unaware of such noises, Alexander approached a worn bench and sat on it. As he rested against its wood, he threw his head back, eyes cast skyward.

The familiar, dark cloak coated its space, dotted by bright slivers of stars. Mesmerized by their clarity, in spite of the fog, Alexander gazed into its depths, his thoughts cast into the ether. He’d switched his flashlight off, leaving it against the notebook. As he stared up, cocoa orbs squinted by instinct.

While part aware of the gesture, he brushed it off for the moment. However, the boy’s sight grew distorted, as though a film coated his eyes. As it dawned on him, Alexander jerked his head back and wiped his glasses again. Once cleaned to his liking, he replaced them to witness that eerie haze in full force.

It penetrated the night sky, tinting it in a translucent, green glow. Stunned by the very sight, he stared up yet again, mouth partially agape. As several moments passed by, Alexander realized the glow had become even brighter. Now in a sickly coat, his primal senses lay on edge, urging him to take cover.

At his internal command, the boy retrieved his belongings and hastily shoved them in his bag. On an unseen order, the glow became more intense, falling against his frame. Now saturated by its aura, Alexander jerked up from his seat, landing on shaky feet. With no time to spare, he raced for his bike to return home, the phantom glow trailing him all the while.

 

Back at his home, the elder Goths had broken away and now occupied themselves with other matters. Now aware of the late hour, Bella stepped out of her bedroom to watch for Alexander’s return. In the meantime, Mortimer had gone to their kitchen, where he set prepare some midnight snacks. The pair met in their hallway for a brief moment, only to detach once more.

Occupied with his given task, Mortimer stood in the kitchen, underneath a refrigerator’s soft, artificial light. From afar, the doorbell’s lyrical chime became audible to his pricked ears. As he set aside some leftover Nectar and cheese, Bella replied back that she’d come forth. Assured of his wife’s interference, he set to work and prepared plates for the both of them. 

When Bella answered the door, her eyes snapped open as Alexander came into view. He wore an expression like hers, born of a cosmic fear and unease. While greatly concerned for his well-being, another factor startled her even more so: Right behind the boy lay an eerie glow, sickly green in its hue. It swept against his form, imparting him with an unnatural, radioactive aura.

“Alex, what’s going on?!” the woman asked aloud, her voice ragged with sudden shock. “What happened to you?!” Unable to process his fear into words, Alexander stood in place, nerves on edge. By instinct, Bella’s eyes darted up, her sight set skyward. Though no other unusual signs greeted her, she became wary of the awful possibilities. 

On occasion, she read of abductions in the newspaper, alongside other missing persons reports. While stunned by their presence, her mind latched onto another facet at the moment: That of alien capture. A hint of skepticism racked her mind upon reading them, but she kept note of their signs. As it stood, all pointed to extraterrestrial influence.

Before the boy could react, Bella grasped at his frame, capturing his slight body in hers. As they locked together, hazel orbs peered into his own, searching for any other distress. When none could be found, she pulled him forward, separating him from that sickly glow. Once inside their home, she slammed the door shut and locked it.

Outside, the otherworldly gleam remained, coating their property with its neon hue. Unseen to either Goth was a saucer-shaped vehicle, set high in the night sky. From within its confines lay human-like beings, bearing flesh as sickly green as their glow. Their dark, wide eyes stared into the distance, surveying the Goth home. They’d kept at it for several weeks, only for their suspicions to be confirmed this evening. 

Captivated by their show, they knew most what they desired. By the time Bella had retreated back, the aliens were aware of her grand nature. From their extensive research from the heavens, they’d compiled a list of desirable attributes for human subjects. Thought their sight of the woman had been distorted, she satisfied their given requirements. Elegant and fine in shape, she radiated an aura of good health and cheer.

And as demonstrated by Mortimer’s attention, a fine vessel for their needs. Satisfied to observe her for the moment, they remained in their ship, which hovered far from human sight. From within the Goth home, Bella held her son tightly, forcing him against her bosom. “Oh, Alex, I’m so glad you’re safe!” she exclaimed as he squirmed under her touch. “You must be a wreck! Come on, your father’s got some snacks for us: We can talk in the kitchen.”

 

A few days had passed since their incident, to which Alexander confided in his parents of all that’d occurred. At once fearful and astonished, all either Goth could do was listen carefully to his talk. When the boy fell exhausted with his confession, Bella reached over to pat his head. “There, there, it’ll be okay,” she coaxed forth as Mortimer captured him in his arms. “See, your father and me will keep you safe. All of us, we’ll be fine.”

“Your mother’s right,” the man stated, his voice brimming with a tender earnestness. Under his parents’ grasp, Alexander remained limp, sated to lay against them. Eyes of cocoa and hazel fell upon him, kind in their gleam. “Even if we don’t have all the answers, we’ll do all we can to make sure you’re happy and well.” 

They sat locked together for a while, with Alexander snug under their embrace. It was only when a stray thought came to her did Bella retreat. With a prior engagement in mind, she gingerly pulled back from her son, an uneasy smile on her face. As she peered back to the pair, her eyes fell for a moment. Sensing her dismay, they gazed at her frame, silently affirming her conviction.

“Look, I need to visit with Cass and Don,” the woman said firmly to her kin, a blazing glint in her orbs. As her sight focused on Alexander’s frame, they squinted, equal parts fretful and disgusted with what had befallen him. Her right hand jerked up, its pointer finger in the air. “I won’t be long, but promise me this: If they come back, keep yourselves safe! Lock the doors, do whatever it takes to stay put!”

At her command, Mortimer nodded back, cradling the boy in his arms. Hazel orbs fell on the pair a final time, their edges slightly misty. Unwilling to draw any unneeded concern forth, Bella restrained herself and shuffled away. As her heeled shoes met hardwood floor, they clicked lyrically in time to her steps. Once at the door, she turned back to her kin, a broad, hopeful smile on her lips.

“Take care, darlings. I won’t be long; Just stay safe and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

 

As Cassandra clutched the phone to her ear, its plastic grew achingly hot and balmy. Despite its uncomfortable sensation, she pressed further, attempting hold steady as she spoke. “It’s nothing, Dina,” she stated on labored breath, her eyes misty and pained. At their corners, faint tears welled up, smudging her mascara in part. “It’s just-” Her senses askew, the woman paused for a moment to peer into the distance.

A few steps from where she stood sat her father, alongside her beloved fiancee. While Mortimer tried to retain a civil aura at the moment, she couldn’t deny his cutting gaze towards Don. The dark orbs which once gleamed with warmth and kindness had grown cruel, their sight boring into Lothario’s frame. As a heavy pain gripped her heart, Cassandra shook her head, and sighed gently to herself. 

In his own seat, Don appeared as confident and casual as ever, but even his facade began to wear down. He remained in place, emerald orbs set on his watch, as opposed to his soon to be kin. When Alexander shuffled into their living room, he glanced at his father, a weary affect to himself as well. Dark eyes met for a moment, their light corrupted by the same unease and suspicion for Lothario’s presence. 

Unwilling to relive their family’s loss yet again, Cassandra turned away and spoke once more. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized to her distant companion, who warbled on in the distance. Though her speech rushed and garbled, the woman could tell Dina was greatly concerned for her sake. In an instant, her eyes snapped shut, trails of dark paint flowing from their edges. “I didn’t mean to leave you hangin’, it’s just- Dad’s been taking it real hard since Mom left!”

“I mean, we know the aliens got her,” Cassandra elaborated further as another conversation began from afar. While she kept her eyes on the phone, she knew her kin were at odds with Don yet again. As Mortimer’s sharp voice ran along Don’s senses, Alexander sat by and drank in the sight. “Dina, I can’t stand to see him like this! I swear, all he does now is watch TV and drink martinis! That’s no life to live, especially for a guy like Dad!”

A slight lull emerged in their conversation, allowing the woman to stand back and listen. While Dina’s distant chatter fell on her ears, she glanced to her father once more. Mortimer sat upright like a hawk, ready and eager to strike with wicked precision. All the while, he kept at his interrogation, prying all details from Don. In the midst of his queries, Cassandra noted her beloved’s unease, born of an honest fear. She stood mesmerized by the vision, her focus only broken when Dina uttered a stinging question of her own. 

“Well, yes, of course,” the woman shot back, her mouth now set agape. “Of course, we all miss her! Alex mopes around too, and well-” Unable to restrain herself, she slumped down, allowing her tears to flow freely. Their beads ran in trails, some tinted with mascara and others pure as morning dew. They landed on her cheeks and the table, tinting them with a dark sheen. “-I still see her ‘round sometimes. I know it’s not so, but sometimes I miss her so much, it, it hurts.” 

In the midst of her tears, Cassandra pushed them aside, attempting to draw her strength forth. Through slight, gasping sobs, she pressed the phone closer, dark orbs on its speaker. “See, that’s why we need you!” she cried out, her voice nearly drowned out by her kin’s talk. Mortimer now berated her beloved for Bella’s disappearance, faulting him for his “cowardly” ways. Close by, Alexander watched them go back and forth, bearing a knowing sneer on his face.

“God, if only you could see this,” the woman scoffed to herself, her words twinged with ire and sorrow. With a shake of her head, she returned to the device and blinked a few times. As their raucous chatter boomed throughout their space, Cassandra spoke up in kind. “Look, I know you know Don too. I know you know he’s innocent, so please come over! He just needs someone to vouch for him!” 

In the distance, Mortimer’s resolve began to falter, leaving his voice raw and ragged. Though still afflicted by his latent ire, he cried out to Alexander and Don, pleading for a divine reason for Bella’s capture. Grimly struck by his desperate pleas, the pair approached him, bearing gentle, sympathetic expressions. As they tried to console the elder Goth, Cassandra returned to her talk, resolute to find order for her ailing family.

“Oh, you will?” she remarked, stunned by Dina’s eager response. Her eyes shot open, their smudged rims visible to all. As the other voiced her earnest desire, Cassandra felt at ease, more than she’d been in a long time. Her heart part absolved of their family’s burden, she smiled to herself, ready to weep with joy. “Thank you, thank you! You don’t know what this means to us! Come over tomorrow, you can meet everyone over lunch.”

“Who knows, you might get along splendidly with them. I think you could really help Dad, too. After all, it’d do wonders for him to have someone else ‘round here-”


End file.
